Slipped Away
by daydreamer9898
Summary: The day Jack slipped away, his sister knew nothing would ever be the same. Especially, when she knew that Jack had died because of her. Remember Jack and Jill? Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after. (sorry for the crappy summary.) (reposted due to some clarifications.)


**First of all, I've been seeing and hearing a lot of people referring to Jack's sister as Pippa. Her name is not Pippa. Some sources say that she was unnamed, but I read somewhere that her name was Emma. I'm not sure if that's accurate, but I will use the name Emma, anyway. **

**It's been months since I watched ROFG, but somehow, out of nowhere, this idea hit me in the head like a snowball. **

**Hope you like it!**

* * *

Jack's POV

I crouched down next to the bush, careful not to be seen. I peeked through the leaves and found the target, bent over a tree stomp. I walked slowly, with my back still bent. Each step made a crunching sound as my boot touched the ground and the dry leaves that fell off from a tree, but the target didn't notice. She just looked down at the ground, but even from where I was hiding, I could see that something was wrong. Worried, I stood up to my full height. I could see her clearly now. She was crying. The tears from her eyes traveled down her cheeks, to her chin, until they fell to the ground. I walked towards her, forgetting the prank.

She looked up at as she finally heard my footsteps. She sniffed, and wiped her face with her sleeves.

"Hey," I said, crouching down beside her. "what's wrong?"

She was about to answer, but as she opened her mouth the tears stung her eyes once again. She buried her face in her hands, and I watched, waiting 'til she was ready to answer. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. She raised her face from her hands when there were no more enough air for her to breathe. Crying, I know, gets suffocating after some time.

She sniffed, once again, and wiped her face with her sleeves. She looked at me, and answered in a weak and muffled voice, "My bunny ran away, Jack."

There was an overwhelming relief that flooded through me. I didn't even notice how really worried I was until I felt relief. I let out a sigh, and placed one hand on her back. "Oh, Emma," I said, with a big and convincing smile on my face. "why don't we go look for it, then?"

Her face lit up, and her smiled quivered into a smile. Her eyes shone brightly, as she beamed at me. "Yeah, we could do that!"

"Let's go, then!" I said, standing up. Looking down at her, I realized something. When I watched her crying... I didn't notice it at that moment, but I realized it now. Seeing her cry broke my heart. It made me just want to make her feel better. I don't know if that's a sign that I'm a good brother, or something...

I held my hand out for her, and she took it. Her hand was so small in mine.

And we continued on our way into the forest.

* * *

Emma's POV

We walked hand in hand into the forest. It scared me, really, but I won't admit it. Of course, I won't. I was younger than Jack, and I'm a girl. I know he looks down on me, what more if I told him I was scared, right?

The thing is, I want to be just like him- smart, brave, carefree, and most of all, _free_. He was free to do anything he wanted, free to go anywhere he wanted. Freedom, I've always guessed, was one of the privileges you get when you reach a certain age.

"Hey, look at that!" he said. There was so much excitement in his voice that I immediately looked to where he was pointing. I was expecting it would be a bunny- a furry, brown one. But it wasn't. It was a lake. He walked closer to it, forgetting that he was holding my hand, so basically, he was dragging me.

As we drew closer, I realized that it wasn't just a lake. It was a frozen lake. Frozen lakes were one of the things Jack loves about winter.

"Wanna skate?" he asked, not looking at me. His eyes were glued to the white surface, and I could see how much he wanted to set foot onto it.

As much as I wanted to say no, because skating isn't really my thing, I didn't want to bring him down. He'll say it's okay, but I know deep down, he thinks I'm a total killjoy. "Sure!" I said, hoping that my enthusiasm didn't sound too fake.

"Woo hoo!" Jack shouted, as he launched himself into gliding across the cold and slippery surface, leaving me behind like a cat scared of water. Good thing he paid no attention to me.

_Go ahead, you coward_, I thought to myself, my eyes closed. _You can do this, Emma._

The last statement reminded me of the first time Jack took me skating with him on a frozen lake. You can do this, Emma, he'd said. The look in his eyes were so sincere and convincing that he had me believe that I was brave enough to do it.

I feel something warm in my hands, despite how chilly it was out here. I open my eyes, and find a pair of hazel eyes looking into mine. It was Jack. I look around me, and found that I wasn't on green grass and brown earth anymore. I was on the lake, now. Gliding across the lake! I actually did it!

I broke out into a hysterical laugh, and Jack soon joined in. Jack broke away from me, and went to the other side. He laid on the frozen surface, laughing. Then he started trembling. He got up with his arms wrapped around him. I could hear his clattering teeth from where I stood. I laughed, pointing at him.

"Ha-ha. So funny," he said, in a mocking tone. But he was still trembling, so it just made it even funnier.

I skated toward him, circling his trembling body. I giggled. He skated away from me, annoyed. And that's when I- _we_ both heard it. We both stopped dead in our tracks. Jack wasn't trembling anymore. He turned around to face me, slowly, very slowly. I raised one foot, and took a step toward him. The sound came again. The cracking sound of the ice breaking.

"Don't move, Em," he said. His voice was stern and serious. This was no laughing matter. "Okay, ummm... uh..." he squeezed his eyes shut, thinking. He raised his head and looked up at the clear blue sky as if an answer would fall from it. And just like that... "Got it!" he whispered.

"Okay, Emma," he said, his eyes focused on me. He held my gaze and I couldn't look away. That's the point of it, I guess. "You've got to trust me now."

I nodded hastily, unable to find my voice. It was as if there was a big lump in my throat, keeping my voice from coming up.

"This is a game, Emma," he said in a soothing voice. I didn't realize it at first, but it seemed that I've started whimpering. "I'm not tricking you, Emma. Would I trick you?"

I finally found my voice. "Yes! You always play tricks!

"Yeah, well not this time," he said. "You've got to trust. Me."

I closed my eyes, it was better that way. Taking this as a sign that I trust him, he instructed, "Use your left foot, and take a step towards your right." I did as he said, but I still had my eyes closed. "Right foot, left." I did it again. We went on for a while, and all of a sudden I was thrown into the air. The next thing I know was a throbbing pain on my shoulder. I was on the grass, I could feel it. My eyes flew open, just in time to hear the cracking sound, once again. It was louder this time, followed by the sound of splashing water.

I looked around me. Jack wasn't there anymore. In the middle of the frozen lake was a hole. It was a big hole, enough for a person to fit in.

Then the horror dawned upon me. The cracking sound... the water splashing... Jack's absence...

"Jack!" I shrieked, as I ran up to the hole. I crouched down at the edge. "Jack!" I saw him. His eyes were closed, his brown hair swayed with the water. He was getting deeper and deeper. I reached for him, but as my hand came in touch with the water, it recoiled. My hand stung with the cold water, and eventually became numb. "Jack!"

Tears streamed down my face, and everything was a blur.

* * *

"Jackson Overland-" mom started, about to scold my big brother. But a worried expression came across her face as she saw me. "Oh, sweetie..."

"Mom," I whimpered. I let her arms envelope me. I want to be filled with warmth, to ease the numbness I feel throughout my body. "Mom... Mom, J-J-J-Jack... Mom, he fell..."

"What?" she said, suddenly breaking off the hug. I missed the warmth as soon as it left.

"He's gone, mom," I couldn't believe that the words came out of my mouth. "He fell into the lake... and..." More tears poured out of me. I wonder if there will ever be a time when I would just be drained of tears.

Everything was a blur, but the next thing I know, I was in bed. I turned on my side, to face the wall. I didn't see, but I heard my mom. She was sniffing, and sobbing... it was painful to hear.

"Sleep, Emma," came a whisper. Mom, I know, had said it earlier. I saw her mouth moving. But the words only dawned upon me now. I closed my eyes, though I still couldn't sleep. All there was was darkness. And numbness.

"Emma!" Jack called. He sounded happy and excited. I open my eyes, eager to see him. We were out in the forest. It was warm. It's summer, I notice. Have I been asleep for so long?

"Jack!" I shrieked with happiness as I saw that familiar figure.

"Come," he said. And I followed behind him as he led the way. He was humming something- no, he was _singing_. Jack was actually singing. I've never heard him sing before.

_Jack and Jill went up the hill_

_To fetch a pail of water._

_Jack fell down and broke his crown,_

_And Jill came tumbling after._

"Quit singing that!" Jack had once said to me, when I sung it. I had asked him why, and he answered that it was too morbid.

I wonder why he's singing it now, but didn't bother asking. It's the only time I'd hear Jack sing, and I won't ruin it. I sang along with him, instead.

_Jack and Jill went up the hill_

_To fetch a pail of water._

_Jack fell down and broke his crown,_

_And Jill came tumbling after._

Jack stopped came to a halt in front of a tree. On the tree, two ropes dangled. They swayed back and forth, and I tilted my head, blankly staring at them. It was as if they were talking to me, inviting me.

I woke up, bolting upright, thinking that Jack was back. But no, he wasn't.

I remember the song, and played it over and over my head. I get it now... Jack fell down, and broke his crown. . . and Jill came tumbling after. . .

* * *

Emma looked around the room and found that she was alone. She figured that maybe her mother had cried herself to sleep, and maybe her father had gone to look for Jack.

She looked to her right, and found a bed across from her. It was Jack's. Somehow, she had hoped that when she woke up, Jack would be there. But still, he wasn't. Tears filled her eyes as she started to see what was coming- Jack is dead, he has drowned... because of her. In a matter of moments, her father would come home with Jack in his arms. He'd be stiff and cold and soaked. . . and dead.

She buried her face in her hands. If only she hadn't cried for the bunny. If only she had said she was okay. If only. . .

She hated those two words. They made her feel even more miserable. But what if she hadn't done those things? What if she didn't agree to find a new bunny? Then, they wouldn't have gone into the woods, wouldn't have found the frozen lake, and Jack wouldn't have fallen.

"Stupid Emma," she cried into her palms. "Stupid, stupid,_ stupid_!"

"If it weren't for you, Jack wouldn't have died," she imagined that these were the words in her parents' minds. Even they blame her for it. "If you weren't so stubborn, he'd still be here!"

Emma cried even more, harder this time. So hard she was suffocating. She raised her head from her hands and gulped for air. Her hands were soaking wet with her tears, and she wiped it on her blanket, just to find that it wasn't really her blanket. It was Jack's. She clutched it tight, hugging it to her chest. It smelled so much like Jack- the fresh scent of spring, even when it's winter.

"Oh, Jack," she cried. "I'm so sorry. I really am. I miss you, Jack. Prove everyone wrong. Prove them wrong, please. Prove to them that you're not. . . _gone_."

She heard the front door swing open, and she raised her head, craning her neck to see who it is. She wanted it so badly to be Jack... but it wasn't. It was her father. Just her father, no Jack, not even in his arms. He turned to look at her through the small opening in Emma's bedroom, and she found something she's never seen in her father's face before. His eyes, like hers, were red-rimmed and red from all the crying. He looked at her and it only reminded her of sorrow and grief... like nothing's going to be okay ever again. He looked away from her, and there was a faint sound that escaped his lips. Disgust, is what she assumed. He was disgusted by the sight of his murderous daughter.

Emma resumed to crying for what seemed like hours, when finally, something hit her. She jumped out of bed, and into the kitchen where her father has laid out all the hunting tools. He must've had a search party for Jack.

She found a rope on the table, and quickly grabbed it. She walked out of the house, with her silent movement, making sure no one is awoken. Once she was out of hearing range, she started sprinting, then running. She ran into the dark woods, which was only illuminated by the big, bright moon. She saw nothing but silhouettes, heard nothing but the rustling of leaves and the owls. It was creepy, and she considered running back home. But no, she won't. She wouldn't be able to live with herself in that kind of atmosphere, where guilt eats her up and she feels like everyone hates her.

She found herself standing by the frozen lake. The hole where Jack fell was still visible, and it made her stomach turn.

There was a big tree by the lake, and she climbed up on it, shooing the birds away. She tied the rope a few knots, twisting and turning, pulling in and out... When she was done, she let it fall, dangling into the air, swaying to the breeze's direction. Seeing that the length is enough, she gathered it up. At the bottom of the rope was some kind of hole. She slid her head into it, like a necklace. And all at once, she jumped off the tree branch.

The rope got tighter around her neck as she fell, choking her harder than she'd expected. She could feel the bones in her neck cracking. Her feet struggled in the air, for a few more minutes, before her whole body stiffened. Eventually, it dangled freely in the air.

...

...

...

..._ Jill came tumbling after..._

* * *

Jack's POV

Darkness. That was the first thing I'm aware of. I feel lightheaded. I drew nearer and nearer to the light, and I don't even know what that light is. I could see a hole, above me. In the whole was something round, that's the source of the light.

I climb out the hole, and found that I was in the middle of a... a... a frozen lake. I looked up at the light. It was the moon, I realize.

* * *

"Hello, there!" I greeted at the people nearby.

"Hello!" I greeted the couple that passed me by.

"Good evening, ma'am," I greeted an old lady sitting by her porch.

"Hi there!" I patted a dog, who carried a bone. But I didn't really pat it- I couldn't. My hand went straight into it. I couldn't touch it.

I looked at my hand, wondering what's happening, when a man walked straight into me.

"What?" I gasped. "What's happening?"

I'm lost. I don't know where I am, who I am, or what I even am... I want answers. That's all I'm asking for, at the moment.

Who am I?

Why can't they see me?

Why can't I remember anything?

I looked up as I realized that I've stopped walking. I stood in front of an old house. It was dark, unlike the others I have passed a while ago. In front of me, inbetween me and the house, was a rock. A big rock that seemed to have grown out of the soil.

I looked closer, examining it. Words were written in it.

_Emma Overland _

_a good daughter and a loving sister_

_Jack and Jill went up the hill_

_To fetch a pail of water._

_Jack fell down and broke his crown,_

_And Jill came tumbling after._

I wonder who Emma is. . .


End file.
